ICE executive associate director Marcos D. Charles signed a memo Wednesday instructing officers to abandon high‑speed chases and limit vehicle stops to those who have completed specific training courses, a response to a string of fatal shootings in Maine and Texas earlier this month.
The August 9 incident in Maine saw a 28‑year‑old driver killed when an ICE vehicle rammed his car during a pursuit. A week later, a Texas officer fired into a fleeing vehicle, wounding two and killing a passenger. Those events prompted a rapid review of ICE's traffic‑stop procedures.
In the memo, Charles outlined that only officers who have finished one of five agency‑approved training modules may conduct a stop. Officers lacking training may only observe as passengers and cannot drive the stop vehicle. The guidance also requires active body‑camera use and the use of lights and sirens during stops.
The agency will continue to employ pinning and spike strips, but only if the operator has received special training. ICE also added that vehicles used in stops must be equipped with visible law‑enforcement markings to alert the public.
ICE officials downplayed the memo’s impact, stating it merely updates existing directives. President Donald Trump, however, tweeted that traffic stops are "one of ICE’s most important and effective crime‑fighting tools," sparking debate over the agency’s role in domestic law enforcement.
In a related case, Wilber Rafael Garces Perez faces federal assault charges after an ICE agent shot him during a pursuit. Testimony revealed the agent had not worn a body camera, violating the new protocol.
The White House is slated to review ICE’s traffic‑stop policy by the end of the month, while the agency plans to conduct a full compliance audit and roll out mandatory refresher training for all officers.
Residents along the West End of Maine’s Main Street still recount the night the ICE pursuit left a family stunned. "We saw the lights flash and heard the gunshot," said a neighbor who was present when the 28‑year‑old driver was killed.